Friday, July 13, 2012

Broccoli Rabe, Feta and Olive Calzones

I worked at a health food store in high school, mostly 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. shifts. I'd go straight from school to cross country practice, run for an hour, and then throw my normal clothes back on and drive to work.

By the time I got there, I'd be starving. But because my shift was so short, I'd only get a 15 minute dinner break.

So, I'd usually choose an Amy's Pocket Sandwich. They were one of the cheapest meal-like products in the store, which fit my limited budget perfectly. They microwaved up in 2 minutes, so I could stick them in the microwave when my break started and still have a whopping 13 minutes left to eat. And they were pretty tasty.

But lately, I've really been making an effort not to eat prepackaged food. If I want something, I've decided I should make it myself.

Or buy it while I'm out to eat. A girl has to be reasonable.

These calzones are an attempt at that. I made six lunch or dinner-sized calzones, stuffed with a filling of broccoli rabe, feta and olives. I baked them up in a half whole wheat crust, cooled them completely and froze them.

They're my own frozen dinners, except I know exactly what's in them and how they were made. With the heat here, they'll be perfect for those days when I just can't bring myself to turn on the oven.

What would you stuff your calzones with?

Broccoli Rabe, Feta and Olive Calzones
I used a half whole wheat pizza crust, increasing the amount of water used by a bit to give the dough the right consistency. I like the heartiness of the wheat against the broccoli rabe, and I think it makes the dish a bit healthier.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat two tablespoons olive oil. Add three cloves garlic, minced, and saute about 30 seconds. Immediately add the broccoli rabe, stirring regularly to coat the broccoli rabe in garlic and expose it to the heat. After about 2 minutes, add 3 tablespoons water. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes more until the stems soften.

Remove the broccoli rabe from the heat. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the crumbled feta and kalamata olives, and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until you are ready to fill the calzones.

Divide the pizza dough into six equal pieces. On a lightly floured counter top, pat one round of dough into a circular shape. Spoon about 1/3 cup filling into the center of the round. Fold over the top, pressing the filling evenly to distribute it throughout the calzone. Pinch the edges down, and then fold the bottom over the top, crimping the edges to create a tighter seal.

Transfer the calzones to a baking sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil, and cut small slits in the top of each calzone.

Bake the calzones at 450 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is firm and golden brown. Remove from the oven and transfer immediately to a wire rack to cool. Eat the calzones hot, or wait for them to cool, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze them for later. Reheat the calzone in the toaster oven (if you put it in the fridge the morning you want to eat it, the reheating will be even quicker!)